Identifying work ability risks

Identifying and managing work ability risks is an important part of a company’s risk management and promoting employee well-being. Anticipating and managing work ability risks allows you to create a safe and healthy work environment for all your employees.

Work ability risks are factors that threaten an employee’s ability to perform their tasks. If work ability risks are not addressed or spotted early enough, they may turn into disability risks, which may lead to a temporary or permanent inability to work.

The risks may relate to an individual, the work itself, the work environment or the rapidly changing world. These risks are present in every profession and business sector.

Identifying and managing work ability risks in workplaces is important in terms of employee well-being and the organisation’s productivity. Employers are also legally obligated to take care of the occupational safety and health of their employees.

Physical strain

For instance, lifting and moving heavy objects, repetitive movements and working in awkward positions.

Psychological stress

For instance, excessive workload and tight deadlines, unclear goals or expectations, and limited opportunities to influence one’s work.

Social stress

Such as problems in the work community, weak leadership and a lack of support and feedback.

Identifying risks is essential in terms of your employees’ well-being and the company’s productivity. Work ability risks that go undetected can lead to long periods of sick leave and even early retirement, which has a significant impact on individuals, companies and wider society.

Work disability has far-reaching impacts: the work ability challenges faced by just one employee can affect a company’s activities in many ways, especially in small companies. Even a single employee’s prolonged sick leave can, for example, increase the workload of other employees, reduce the team’s productivity and cause additional costs if the situation requires hiring a replacement or other external help.

It is always cheaper to prevent work ability risks than to manage their consequences. A happy and healthy work community is more productive, committed and innovative.

Identifying work ability risks is not just about managing costs – it is an investment in people and the entire work community’s resilience

Effective management of work ability risks can affect pension costs

Identifying work ability risks also has an impact on pension costs. For large employers, disability pension cases affect the amount of their TyEL contributions. Early identification and management of work ability risks is a key means of keeping costs in check. Companies that prioritise their employees’ work ability often have fewer cases of disability and thus smaller pension-based contributions.

Read more about how the contribution category is determined

OHC assesses work-related health hazards and dangers together with employers. Organisations should work closely with OHC, drawing on their expertise in identifying work ability risks.

Read more about risk management collaboration

Identifying risks

Identifying risks is the first step in managing work ability risks. By identifying potential work ability risks, you can plan measures for reducing them.

Identifying work ability risks is a continuous process for which there are several effective methods. The regular use of these methods can help you identify risks early on.

Practical methods for identifying risks:

Surveys: Regular well-being-at-work surveys and risk assessments provide an overall picture of the company’s situation.
Development discussions: A discussion between a manager and an employee can reveal work-related risks.
Workplace surveys: Surveys conducted by OHC provide additional information about the working conditions and environment.

Successful identification of work ability risks requires the involvement of the employees. They have the best insight into their workload factors and possible problems. A speak-up culture and a low threshold for raising issues are vital.

Analysis of risks

Once work ability risks have been identified, it is important to assess their severity and likelihood. This analysis is a central part of effective work ability management. The following criteria can be used to assess the severity of a risk:

Likelihood: How likely is it that the risk will be realised?
Extent: How many employees does the risk concern?
Severity: How serious would the consequences be if the risk were to be realised?
Duration: Is the risk temporary or long term?

The analysis of risks should make use of multidisciplinary collaboration. OHC, the occupational health and safety organisation, HR administration and management each bring their own perspective to the analysis. This provides a broader picture of the actual significance of the work ability risk.

Planning measures

An action plan sets out concrete measures for reducing or eliminating work ability risks. A good plan is clear, practical and assigns responsibilities to the right people.

Some examples of measures include improving the work environment, developing working practices, training or acquiring new tools.

Carrying out an action plan always requires management’s support and sufficient resources. The plan’s progress should be followed up on regularly, and successful implementation also requires good communication. Everyone must be informed of what is being done, why and when.

Following up on and assessing measures

It is important to follow up on and assess the measures that are taken to ensure their effectiveness. Follow-up helps determine whether the measures have reduced the work ability risks and improved the employees’ work ability. Based on the assessment, the measures can also be changed if necessary.

The measures must be followed up on regularly and systematically. Some of the indicators, such as sickness absences, can be examined monthly, while some, such as more extensive well-being-at-work surveys, can be examined yearly.

The results of the follow-ups should be processed by various levels of the organisation. The management keeps track of the overall situation, supervisors of their own units, and employees of their own work ability. Everyone participates in planning and implementing measures.